What's best?

[George67]

What's the best source of all around information for a Stude owner who doesn't know anything? History would be nice, but also I would like to know how to decode my VIN, learn technical details, and so on.

Do the old Motor's manuals help with any of that kind of info? [?]

Studie newbie

[whacker]

George, the best place to start is the Studebaker Driver's Club. Join as soon as possible and start reading the Turning Wheels from cover to cover every month. If you have questions, ask here on the forum, or over in the technical section. Studebaker people love to talk about our cars, and can help you with all kinds of Stude related stuff. Join on line right here at this website! SDC is the largest single interest car club in the world, and our magazine, Turning Wheels, is an award winning publication that is equal to, or better than, most of the commercial magazines out today.

[studegary]

I completely agree with joining SDC as the starting point. If you want overall Studebaker information, IMHO the Fred K. Fox and Asa Hall books are the best ones. To learn more about your specific Studebaker, you should have the appropriate shop manual.

[Roscomacaw]

George. No, the old Motor's manuals don't help much. Get in the club, get the pertinent manuals for your car - Chassis parts book & body parts book and a shop manual. Owner's manuals are for dummies that never drove a car before!
As far as "decoding" any VIN or other numbers, there's no big "secret codes" to decipher. Tell us the numbers and we'll tell you ALL there is to glean from them. It's dirt simple. Not like the 30-digit numbers of today's cars to where you need to be a factory rep to understand them.[}]

Miscreant at large.

[George67]

Well, I think I will be joining the club...
And here's the VIN 63V1814

Just curious what it was in it's previous life.

Studie newbie

[JDP]

Call the Studebaker Musium with that number and they'll provide a built sheet for a fee. (about $30-$45) It'll tell you day ordered, day built, colors, options and so on.

64 Challenger (Green Wrapper)
63 R2 4 speed GT Hawk
55 Speedster
50 2R 10 truck

[Roscomacaw]

George, "63V" equates to a 1963 V8 car. The rest of that number is simply a number that establishes THAT car's place in the sequence of V8 cars built in 1963. That includes Larks AND Hawks. Since the first V8 car for 1963 wore the serial number of 63V-1001 this would mean yours was the 814th Studebaker V8 car built in the South Bend plant. Those '63s built in Canada had a serial number prefix of 63VC (C for Canada), so the cars there are not included in the count of South Bend production.
Tell us what the BODY TAG says - That'll pin it down as to what trim level it was to start with. That body tag's close to the passenger's side hood hinge.[^]

Miscreant at large.

[George67]

Thanks for that info. I guess I'll have to travel to the storage spot and take a look at the body tag. That's the first I have heard of that so I guess I have some more work to do.


Studie newbie